A Little Normal

(Violet)

The email popped up in my phone while I was waiting in the living room for Dad to finish getting ready. For a guy who never spent more than a minute looking at himself in the mirror, he was certainly worried about leaving the house for an appointment. I wasn’t going to argue with him, though. He prided on himself looking tough, no matter what.

The email was from the investors. The lead guy, Joseph, had sent it. He had a list of things he wanted me to work on for the current app. He also loved the designs from Victoria and presented another contract in the email with a figure that nearly made me drop the phone.

“You ready?” Dad’s grumpy voice asked.

I stood up from the couch and nodded. “Let’s go.”

Mom appeared a second later, holding a list in her hand, keys in her other hand, staring forward, looking flustered.

I rushed to her side and hugged her. “I’m here, Mom. Okay? Let it down a little. Let me help.”

She nodded.

I could see the fear in her eyes.

I couldn’t fix that fear. I couldn’t even speak to it. Truthfully, the only person who could speak to that fear was Mason. And he had talked to Mom quite a bit about dealing with Dad’s cancer. Today, though, Mason had to meet with Hunter and a few lawyers for some reason. It wasn’t his job to be there for my parents, anyway.

It was my job.

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

A text from Victoria.

Did you get the email? Did you see the money? :)

I texted her and told her I’d catch up with her in a little bit.

I sat in the backseat of the car like I was a kid again. Only difference was that Mom was driving instead of Dad. But that didn’t deter them from holding hands. That was something that always stuck with me. No matter where we were going—to get gas or go on a trip—Mom and Dad always held hands when driving.

Things like that cut through me a little, though.

I didn’t want to lose Dad.

But that was so far out of my control, and worrying about it seemed like a waste of time.

His doctor’s appointment wasn’t all that long. We actually waited more than we spent time talking with Dr. Ansleyn.

He was a short man with a kind smile. He didn’t read from a chart or a computer screen. He took the time to shake my hand and Mom’s hand again, and he treated Dad with respect. He kept the lights a little low and spoke straight and honest, making eye contact with all of us.

The treatment would be heavier, and Dad would feel sicker before he felt better. But there was a good chance of beating it. It would take time, patience, and tons of good thoughts. And I mean tons of good thoughts. Surgery wasn’t necessary at the moment but could become an issue later. The goal at the moment was to stop the cancer from spreading. Contain it. Kill it. Put Dad into a comfortable remission, then keep monitoring him to make sure it never came back again.

The appointment was nothing short of a roller coaster. One second, it was the feeling of happiness, envisioning Dad healthy, cancer-free, climbing the ladder to clean the gutters, telling his tall tales, being himself. At the same time, there was the constant mention of how bad things could and would get.

I did my best to just stand there and take it all in. Stuck between Mom and Dad, wondering who needed me the most. But all I wanted was for Mason to show up and hug me.

When the appointment was over, we were silent in the car.

A sad kind of silent.

Right up until Dad smacked the dashboard.

“Hank!” Mom yelled. “You scared me…”

“Take a right,” he said. “Up here.”

“Why?” I asked.

He looked back at me. “Ice cream.”

“What?”

“That little ice cream place,” he said. “Remember it? We used to go there all the time with you. You would sit on the hood of the car and eat ice cream and point to the clouds. You’d get so lost in those clouds, Violet, you’d forget about your ice cream and it would run down your hand and drip everywhere.”

“Your father would go bananas,” Mom chimed in. “He’d stand there and clean the hood of the car like it was some fancy sports rig.”

“What do you think?” Dad asked.

“Ice cream?” I said. “I could eat.”

Dad grinned.

The smiles faded when we got to the ice cream place only to find that it was shut down. The parking lot was neglected, and grass and weeds growing up through the cracks.

I saw the look on Dad’s face.

It was a sign to him.

Things were changing. Things were dying.

“No,” I whispered under my breath.

I looked around and thought of an idea.

“Mom, pull into the parking lot,” I said.

She did.

I jumped out of the car and started to run.

I barreled into a little convenience store next door and ran to the glass cases. When I saw the cartons of ice cream I could have burst into tears.

I grabbed three different flavors—chocolate, mint chocolate chip, tin roof sundae— and hurried to the counter. I paid an obscene amount of money for the stuff, but it made it worth it when I asked for spoons and the guy behind the counter went to the little warm food area and came back with plastic spoons. They would have to do for the moment.

Rushing back to the car, I saw the look on Dad’s face, and it made everything worth it.

We stood outside the car in the parking lot of the convenience store and ate ice cream out of the carton. It was something I knew I’d never forget.

But that wouldn’t be the biggest shock of my day…

* * *

“You’re smiling,” Victoria said. “A lot.”

“I’m enjoying this.”

“What’s that?”

“A little normal,” I said. “I mean, yeah, things with Dad are messy, but he’ll fight. I know he’ll beat this thing. And things with Mason…well, it’s just good.”

“So in love,” Victoria said. “Which means you need to get me inside Hunter’s pants now.”

“Jeez. Wow.”

“I stopped by there and flirted with him a little. He’s gorgeous. I want him.”

“Then go get him,” I said.

“I want him to come to me,” Victoria said. “Make that happen.”

“Oh, sure. Easy.”

We both laughed.

Then it was time to chat business.

“Are you okay with the deadline?” I asked.

“Already working on what they need. Nothing to worry about.”

“This is crazy. I mean…I know they’re making a ton of money too, but it’s just a lot.”

“We deserve it,” Victoria said. “And I have an idea for something new. I wanted to run it by you first.”

“Show me what you have.”

Victoria wasted no time in pulling out a laptop and showing me what would come next. Ideas for accessories that went along with the clothing concepts. Including shoes, purses, makeup, everything. Kind of like a one-stop thing. It didn’t make a lot of sense to me, since I wasn’t all into fancy clothes and stuff, but on the other end of it—designing, making money from it, that stuff—it was genius.

“This is amazing,” I said. “You need…”

“I don’t want to do it alone, though,” Victoria said.

“You did all of it.”

“I want your hands on it, too. You and me together.”

“I don’t know a thing about half this stuff and how it works together.”

“But you can organize it. You can present it. You can make it look better than this.”

“Okay. I’m up for the job, then.”

“So, I’ll be your boss, and we’ll present it together,” Victoria said with a sly grin.

“Um…no. You’re too bossy already.”

“Please?”

“Hey, are you serious about Hunter?”

Victoria laughed. “Why?”

“I don’t know. It’s kind of neat, right? The four of us…”

“Aw, you want to double-date.”

“That’s one way to get you and Hunter together,” I said. “That’s strategic.”

“Smart. Very smart. You focus on your relationship first. Your track record hasn’t been so hot lately.”

“Oh, please. I’ve been with two guys…you?”

“This isn’t about sex,” Victoria said. “And seriously, two? And you’re sure you want to be locked down to just Mason?”

I grinned. “Trust me, if you saw it…felt it…”

“Maybe we can arrange that?”

I shook my head. “No. We can double date. But that? Not a chance. That’s all mine.”

“Greedy,” Victoria said. “I would share with you.”

“That’s because you sleep around.”

“Did you just call me a slut?”

I thought about it. “I think I did.”

“Bitch,” Victoria said.

“Okay, let’s get back to business talk.”

“Right. Sure.”

“We’re good with our current stuff,” I said. “But if you’re serious about this other idea, I have my laptop back at Mason’s apartment. We could go there and start coming up with ideas?”

“I love it,” Victoria said. She quickly took out money to pay for the coffees. Then she stood up and was ready to go. “Let’s go.”

“Then I guess we’re leaving,” I said.

“I’m going to drive really fast. To beat you there.”

“What?”

“Maybe Mason is in the shower. Maybe I can get a look at this dick I keep hearing about.”

My jaw dropped.

A few people turned and looked at Victoria. But she didn’t care.

Victoria winked and started to walk away. The crazy thing with her though…I wasn’t sure if she was kidding or not.

I hurried after her and made damn sure that I was the one leading the drive to the apartment. The feeling her words gave me proved how insanely jealous I could get over Mason. I knew I wasn’t experienced like other women—like Victoria—but I was in love with him and would learn anything he liked.

It was such a dumb conversation to have in my mind.

Then again, I started to hope that Mason was home. That he was in the shower. And yeah, maybe I could tear open the shower curtain and let Victoria see what Mason was packing. Then she could be the jealous one. Because I was the lucky one in all of it. I got to touch that dick. I got to kiss it. I got to play with it. I got to ride it.

By the time I got to the apartment, I was smiling and even a little turned on.

There was only Mason’s truck there though, which meant he was still with Hunter and the lawyers.

“Sorry,” I said to Victoria. “Mason isn’t home. No dick show today. You’ll just have to stick to work.”

“Boo,” Victoria said. “Doesn’t mean I can’t picture it in my mind.”

“Trust me, whatever you’re picturing, it’s bigger than that.”

“Well, damn,” Victoria said. “Look at you. From virgin to slut in record time.”

“Shut up,” I said. “Now…let’s go make even more money.”

“I think I like that as much as I like thinking about a big dick.”

“Good to know.”

I led the way into the building and up the stairs. We chatted about her ideas and designs. I really wanted to make this next idea happen. It was a thrill. Almost like a high or something. Nothing about the money, although that was very nice to have and keep making.

I opened the door to the hallway. “So I’m thinking we get the mock…”

My voice trailed off.

Victoria stepped next to me. “Who’s that?”

I stared, locking eyes with someone familiar.

Standing outside Mason’s apartment door.

“Victoria, I’m sorry, but you need to go,” I said.

“What? Why?”

“Because someone is here to see me…”